Fight for available opportunities - Homa Bay PLWDs urged

People Living with Disabilities (PLWDs) in Homa Bay should come out and take opportunities stipulated for them, Gender and Social Services executive member Sarah Malit has said.

She argued that some people living with disabilities complain of being sidelined in accessing jobs at government offices yet they are the people who do not apply for such opportunities.

According to Kenyan law, both public and private sector employers are required to reserve five per cent of jobs for disabled persons.

The Persons with Disabilities Act, of 2003, creates the National Council of Persons with Disabilities as a statutory organ to oversee the welfare of persons with disabilities.

Malit said that apart from business tenders and other job vacancies, the county government has scholarships among other empowerment programs for persons with disabilities.

They were told not to sit back and watch as other people fought for the available opportunities.

“Most disabled persons are talented, dedicated and do their work perfectly. But where they go wrong is that they don’t want to come out and look for what is theirs,” Malit said.

Speaking when they marked this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities at Kabunde social hall in Homa Bay Town constituency, Malit said they are going to improve the county disability policy and make it inclusive.

Currently, the policy has no disability committee to oversee its appropriate implementation.

Disabled persons in the county decry that their interests are not always factored in.

Homa Bay Sub County Deputy County Commissioner Charles Mwayaya, Population Services Kenya (PS Kenya) Regional Programmes Coordinator Charles Orora and Forum for African Women Education Kenya (FAWE) official Evelyn Ojwang attended the celebrations.

Homa Bay County Disability Forum (HBCDF) is the advocacy body for disabled persons in Homa Bay.

Malit urged the forum leadership to work closely with the county government for the transformation of their living standards.

Early this year, the government distributed assistive devices and other tools of trade to over 600 registered disabled persons in the county.

“The county government intends to introduce mobile clinics to all sub-counties to help people with severe disabilities. We urge you to help us fight SGBV and teen pregnancies in society,” she added.

Mwayaya asked disabled persons in Homa Bay to ensure they register with the Department of Social Services and secure certificates to enable them to access government services.

The administrator called on organizations supporting the welfare of disabled persons to work together for effective service delivery.

“The government has a disability fund which is ready to support activities undertaken by disabled persons. But, unfortunately, the money lies with the custodian because people don’t apply to get them,” Mwayaya said.

Orara said under the Delivering Sustainable and Equitable Increases Programme (DESIP), they are ensuring social inclusion and equity of services.

PS Kenya in collaboration with the Homa Bay government is training health care providers on sign language to take care of disabled persons and enhancing literacy on reproductive health.

“We’re working with health facility managements to set up ramps and have adjustable coaches to make the hospitals accessible,” Orora said.

HBCDF officials Maslin Ngala, John Nyari and Jacob Omoro called for the government to extend its support to children whose parents are disabled.

“Many support targets parents who are disabled but leave out their children. We’re appealing for such support especially on education to be done to children as well because the parents are unable,” Ngala said.